Finding Ancestors’ Border-Crossing Records

Finding Ancestors’ Border-Crossing Records

Entry laws tightened today for those crossing the US/Canadian or the US/Mexican border on land—now you must have a passport or an acceptable equivalent to get across. It’s a bit more of a hassle, but at least future genealogists will have records. Plenty of our ancestors immigrated, then up and...

Canada to the United StatesUntil 1895, border crossings from Canada to the United States werent recorded at all. Thereafter, most border crossings are on microfilm known as the St. Albans lists (after the Vermont town where the US Immigration and Naturalization Services had its main office), with geographic coverage varying by year:

1895-June 1917: All border crossings

June 1917-July 1927: Crossings east of the North Dakota/Montana state line

United States to CanadaAncestors crossing to Canada werent recorded until April 1908. Even then, those considered returning Canadians, or who crossed where ports didnt exist or were closed, werent listed. Library and Archives Canada has records; see the Canadian Genealogy Centre for information.